Rage Relieving Device

ABSTRACT

Implemented is a rage relieving device configured to receive physical strikes from a user to enable the user to unleash and release their rage. The user can hit the rage relieving device in a pound-like motion, and the device responsively outputs a sound. The rage relieving device includes one or more noise devices that output a sound responsive to being hit or receiving some impact. The rage relieving device may be comprised of one or more layers and, in typical implementations, may be a multi-layered construction. The outer shell may be a tougher skin such as lightweight cotton twill, whereas underneath the outer shell may be a foam-like material, microbeads, and/or some injection molding.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This non-provisional utility patent application claims the benefit ofand priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/025,091,filed May 14, 2020, entitled “Rage Relieving Device,” the entirecontents of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

While playing video games, gamers often feel high levels of stress, orrage, which they take out on various inanimate objects, including theircomputer or gaming equipment such as the keyboard, monitor, mouse,controller, etc. Aside from damaging their equipment or other items, thegamer is also forced to spend money purchasing a replacement. Aside fromgamers, the average person occasionally experiences high levels ofstress and rage and can cause damage to various items.

SUMMARY

A rage relieving device is configured to receive physical strikes from auser and output a sound responsive to the received impact from thestrike. The device is meant to enable the user to unleash and releasetheir rage for comfort when stressed or angry. The user can hit the ragerelieving device in a pound-like motion, and the device responsivelyoutputs a sound. The rage relieving device includes one or more noisedevices, like a speaker, that output a sound responsive to being hit orreceiving some impact. The rage relieving device may be comprised of oneor more layers and, in typical implementations, may be a multi-layeredconstruction. The outer layer may be a tougher skin such as lightweightcotton twill, whereas underneath the outer shell may be a foam-likematerial, microbeads, and/or some injection molding.

Inside the layers of protection includes various hardware components,including sensors, one or more processors or microcontrollers, memorydevices, wires, and a speaker. The sensor may be a pressure sensorconfigured to detect a level of impact from the user's strike andgenerate and transmit a corresponding signal. The signal may betransmitted over a wire that extends from the sensor to a centralhardware component housing. The hardware component housing may host theone or more processors, memory devices, and speaker.

The sensors may be configured to issue a signal when a threshold levelof impact is detected. The sensors may transmit a signal to theprocessor, which authorizes an output when the received signal indicatesan impact beyond a threshold minimum level of pressure was detected atthe sensor. This filter mechanism may prevent minor or inadvertent bumpsfrom causing the rage relieving device to output a sound. When thereceived impact at the sensor is beyond the threshold minimum, the oneor more processors may transmit an auditory signal to the speaker foroutput. The entire process may operate near real-time so that the userhears the sound virtually immediately after striking the device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an illustrative perspective view of the rage relieving;

FIG. 2 shows an illustrative top plan view of the rage relieving device;

FIG. 3 shows an illustrative representation of an attachment mechanismon the bottom surface of the rage relieving device;

FIG. 4 shows an illustrative bottom plan view of rage relieving deviceand its attachment mechanism;

FIG. 5 shows an illustrative representation of the rage relievingdevice's internal hardware components;

FIG. 6 shows an illustrative representation of the rage relievingdevice's internal hardware components and layers;

FIG. 7 shows an illustrative layered architecture of the rage relievingdevice that may be used to implement the output application and featuresdescribed herein;

FIG. 8 shows an illustrative schematic representation and real-lifeoperational process of the rage relieving device;

FIG. 9 shows an illustrative process that may be implemented by the rageguard system, components, and output application; and

FIG. 10 shows a simplified block diagram of a computing device used toimplement the system described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 show illustrative representations of a rage relievingdevice 105, which has a top surface 110 and has multiple endpoints 115,each of which is divided by divisions 125. The divisions help emphasizethe impact locations 130 on the rage relieving device, which are wherethe endpoints are located. The impact locations 130 are figurative andgenerally located on in a center of each pad of the endpoint. These arelocations where the user may strike when relieving their stress or angeragainst the device 105. The rage relieving device includes an insignia120 on the central area. In other implementations, each endpoint 115 mayinclude some insignia on the top surface as a target for the user (notshown).

FIGS. 3 and 4 show illustrative representations of the rage relievingdevice 105 in which a bottom surface 305 is shown. The bottom surfacecan include an attachment mechanism 405, such as Velcro®, to which astrap 310 attaches to provide better handling for the user. Theattachment mechanism may be attached to the bottom surface via, forexample, adhesive. The outer facing layer may be a hook-and-loopfastener that attaches to the strap 310. The strap may include acorresponding hook-and-loop mechanism that attaches to the attachmentmechanism. The strap may include a loop that the user can grab and holdonto when transporting the device.

FIGS. 5-7 show illustrative representations of the electrical andhardware components utilized within the rage relieving device'sinterior. The electrical components are implemented to output feedbackto the user responsive to the rage relieving device 105 being hit.

FIG. 5 shows a simplistic schematic representation of the varioushardware components and their general locations within the ragerelieving device 105. The rage relieving device 105 includes multiplesensors 505 located at each endpoint 115. These sensors are generallycentered within each endpoint and may correspond to the general impactlocations 130 (FIG. 1). Individual wires extend from each sensor and areused within the system to transmit the generated signals from the sensorto the one or more processors located in the hardware components housing515. The speaker 520 is viewable in FIG. 5 inside which the variousother hardware components are located.

The sensors 505 may be pressure sensors that can detect an impact, suchas a user pounding or otherwise hitting the rage relieving device 105.The pressure sensors may be button switches connected to the processorand/or output mechanism, such as via the wires 510. In typicalimplementations, each endpoint 115 of the rage relieving device may besized to a standard user first so that each pressure sensor can beindependently triggered. The hardware components may be configured totrigger an output when the degree of pressure received satisfies someminimum threshold pressure level to prevent the rage relieving devicefrom outputting noise due to minor or inadvertent bangs or duringtransportation.

The pressure sensors 505 are connected to respective a wires 510 (e.g.,a copper, aluminum, or steel wire), which transmits the detected signalsfrom the pressure sensor to the processor 620. As shown in theillustrative cross-sectional diagram in FIG. 6, the hardware componentshousing 515 located in the rage relieving device's central area includesvarious components that facilitate an output. The hardware componentshousing 515 are stored within an outer housing for protection. The outerhousing may include the openings for the speaker, such that the housingis the speaker that also hosts the operational components like the oneor more processors and memory devices. The hardware components housing515 include the processor 620, memory 625, which typically includes dataand instructions (not shown), and a speaker 520, which outputs thesound. While sound is discussed herein as the output mechanism, otherforms of output are also possible, such as vibrations, etc. Sounds mayinclude pre-loaded sounds (e.g., bang, boom, crash), may includepre-recorded human vocal sounds (e.g., “OUCH”), may be animal sounds,etc.

FIG. 6 further shows the placement of the various sensors 505, wires510, and hardware components 515 inside the layered construction of therage relieving device 105. In typical implementations, the ragerelieving device may be comprised of a lightweight cotton twill 615, afoam layer 610, and microbeads 605. Collectively, these protect theinternal components while providing the user with a satisfactory surfaceto hit and pound.

FIG. 7 shows an illustrative layered architecture 700 of the ragerelieving device 105, which may be utilized to implement the featuresand functionality described herein. The exemplary and simplifiedarchitecture is arranged in layers and includes a hardware layer 720, anoperating system (OS) layer 715, and an application layer 710. Thehardware layer 720 provides an abstraction of the various hardware usedby the rage relieving device 105 to the layers above it. In thisillustrative example, the hardware layer supports one or more processors620, memory 625, a speaker 630, sensors 505, and wires 510 that connectthe sensors to the processor.

In typical implementations, the one or more processors 620 may be acentral processing unit (CPU) or a microcontroller configured to performdiscrete operations. The one or more processors may verify that thereceived signals from the sensors 505 indicate that the impact satisfiesa minimum threshold pressure level, which may be programmed into memory.The memory 730 may include data and instructions which are executable bythe one or more processors, such as the minimum threshold levels andactions to perform when a satisfactory impact signal is received—such asplay a sound on the speaker 630.

The OS layer 715 supports, among other operations, managing theoperating system 755 and operating applications 750, as illustrativelyshown by the arrow. The OS layer may interoperate with the applicationand hardware layers to facilitate the execution of programs and performvarious functions and features.

The application layer 710 can support various applications 760,including an output application 765. Any number of applications can beutilized by the rage relieving device 105, whether proprietary orthird-party applications. In typical implementations, the applicationsmay be implemented using locally executing code stored in memory 625,but remotely executing code may also be performed over a networkinterface (not shown).

The output application 765 may be configured to cause one or moreprocessors 620 to output a sound using the speaker 630 responsive to animpact signal from the sensors 505. The output application may set theminimum threshold level for playing sound so that inadvertent or minorimpacts against the device and sensors do not output a sound. Theapplication may control the volume level output by the speaker. Forexample, softer pounds against the rage relieving device—but impactfulenough to satisfy the minimum threshold level—may cause a relativelysofter output. More substantial impacts against the device may correlateto louder outputs. Ultimately, the volume level may correlate to thelevel of impact against the rage relieving device's sensors.

FIG. 8 shows an illustrative representation in which a user 825 makes astriking motion toward one of the endpoints 115 on the rage relievingdevice 105. The endpoint has its own dedicated sensor 505 for detectingimpact. Responsive to receiving the impact, the sensor generates asignal 805. While the signal may be generic in that the same signal isgenerated and transmitted regardless of the amount of pressure from theimpact, in typical implementations, the sensor may generate a signalthat corresponds to the level of pressure from the impact. For example,the signal may provide a quantitative value for the pressure, such as inmillivolts per volt (mV/V). In some implementations, the sensor may beconfigured to output a signal when a minimum pressure is exerted againstthe sensor. This may remove the burden of verifying the amount ofpressure at the processor 620 by putting such responsibility on thesensor.

The output signal 805 from the sensor 505 is transmitted to the one ormore processors 620 inside the hardware component housing 515 (FIG. 5).The one or more processors may first verify that the signal's strengthindicates that the amount of pressure exerted against the sensorsatisfies some pre-set minimum threshold. The one or more processors mayignore the signal if the strength is unsatisfactory relative to thepre-set threshold. The one or more processors can output a sound signalto the speaker 630 if the sensor's signal satisfies the minimum pre-setthreshold. The sound signal may be at a single volume level or increaseand decrease in volume relative to the impact signal's strength.

The one or more processors 620, reading the instructions in memory 625,may have multiple sounds that it randomly or consecutively outputs aftereach new impact. Alternatively, each endpoint 115 and correspondingsensor 505 may have its own associated unique sound that is output. Forexample, one endpoint may cause the speaker to output a person saying“OUCH!” and another endpoint may cause the speaker 630 to output anexplosive sound.

FIG. 8 shows an illustrative graph that shows the level of impact 810along the y-axis and the output volume 805 along the x-axis. Thephysical impact and corresponding signal 815 indicate that the greaterthe impact, the louder the output volume. A sound will not be outputunless the impact signal received from the sensor 505 surpasses theminimum impact threshold 830. The impact-volume correlation line 835shows the correlation between the detected impact and the outputspeaker's volume.

FIG. 9 shows an illustrative process 900 that may be implemented by therage relieving device 105. The order of the steps is exemplary, andother variations are also possible. Furthermore, variations of theprocess may also be possible and replace certain steps in the process900, such as variations discussed herein.

In step 905, the rage relieving device receives an impact at one or moreof the pressure sensors. The impact may be a strike, hit, or pound froma device user at one of the endpoints. If multiple sensors receive animpact, then each sensor may perform the subsequent steps (e.g.,generate and transmit signal). In step 910, the sensor generates acorresponding impact signal responsive to the received impact. In step915, the sensor transmits the generated impact signal to the one or moreprocessors.

In step 920, the one or more processors verifies the impact signalsatisfies some pre-set minimum pressure threshold, such as ten mV/V. Insome scenarios, the sensor may be configured to transmit a signal if thereceived impact satisfies the pre-set threshold, thereby displacing theverification from the processor to the sensors. In step 925, the one ormore processors ignore the impact signal when the impact signal fails tosatisfy the minimum threshold level. In step 930, the one or moreprocessor generates a sound signal responsive to the impact signalsatisfying the minimum pressure threshold level.

In step 935, the one or more processors configures the sound signal'svolume to correlate to the impact signal's pressure level. Thus, thesofter or harder the user's strike against the sensor correlates to arelatively softer or louder volume. In step 940, the one or moreprocessors transmit the configured sound signal to the speaker forauditory output. In step 945, the speaker outputs the sound signal. Ifthe user struck multiple sensors and endpoints, then the rage relievingdevice may process and output a sound for each one simultaneously, or inthe order the impact was received.

FIG. 10 shows an illustrative architecture 1000 for a rage relievingdevice 105 capable of executing the various features described herein.The architecture 1000 illustrated in FIG. 10 includes one or moreprocessors 1002 (e.g., central processing unit, dedicated AI chip,graphics processing unit, etc.), a system memory 1004, including RAM(random access memory) 1006, ROM (read-only memory) 1008, and long-termstorage devices 1012. The system bus 1010 operatively and functionallycouples the components in the architecture 1000. A basic input/outputsystem containing the basic routines that help transfer informationbetween elements within the architecture 1000, such as during startup,is typically stored in the ROM 1008. The architecture 1000 furtherincludes a long-term storage device 1012 for storing software code orother computer-executed code utilized to implement applications, thefile system, and the operating system. The storage device 1012 isconnected to processor 1002 through a storage controller (not shown)connected to bus 1010. The storage device 1012 and its associatedcomputer-readable storage media provide non-volatile storage forarchitecture 1000. Although the description of computer-readable storagemedia contained herein refers to a long-term storage device, such as ahard disk or CD-ROM drive, it may be appreciated by those skilled in theart that computer-readable storage media can be any available storagemedia that can be accessed by the architecture 1000, includingsolid-state drives and flash memory.

By way of example, and not limitation, computer-readable storage mediamay include volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable mediaimplemented in any method or technology for storage of information suchas computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, orother data. For example, computer-readable media includes, but is notlimited to, RAM, ROM, EPROM (erasable programmable read-only memory),EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory), Flashmemory or other solid-state memory technology, CD-ROM, DVDs, HD-DVD(High Definition DVD), Blu-ray, or other optical storage, magneticcassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magneticstorage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store thedesired information and which can be accessed by the architecture 1000.

According to various embodiments, the architecture 1000 may operate in anetworked environment using logical connections to remote computersthrough a network. The architecture 1000 may connect to the networkthrough a network interface unit 1016 connected to the bus 1010. It maybe appreciated that the network interface unit 1016 also may be utilizedto connect to other types of networks and remote computer systems. Thearchitecture 1000 also may include an input/output controller 1018 forreceiving and processing input from a number of other devices, includinga keyboard, mouse, touchpad, touchscreen, control devices such asbuttons and switches, or electronic stylus (not shown in FIG. 10).Similarly, the input/output controller 1018 may provide output to adisplay screen, user interface, a printer, or other type of outputdevice (also not shown in FIG. 10).

It may be appreciated that any software components described herein may,when loaded into the processor 1002 and executed, transform theprocessor 1002 and the overall architecture 1000 from a general-purposecomputing system into a special-purpose computing system customized tofacilitate the functionality presented herein. The processor 1002 may beconstructed from any number of transistors or other discrete circuitelements, which may individually or collectively assume any number ofstates. More specifically, the processor 1002 may operate as afinite-state machine in response to executable instructions within thesoftware modules disclosed herein. These computer-executableinstructions may transform the processor 1002 by specifying how theprocessor 1002 transitions between states, thereby transforming thetransistors or other discrete hardware elements constituting theprocessor 1002.

Encoding the software modules presented herein also may transform thephysical structure of the computer-readable storage media presentedherein. The specific transformation of physical structure may depend onvarious factors in different implementations of this description.Examples of such factors may include but are not limited to thetechnology used to implement the computer-readable storage media,whether the computer-readable storage media is characterized as primaryor secondary storage, and the like. For example, if thecomputer-readable storage media is implemented as semiconductor-basedmemory, the software disclosed herein may be encoded on thecomputer-readable storage media by transforming the physical state ofthe semiconductor memory. For example, the software may transform thestate of transistors, capacitors, or other discrete circuit elementsconstituting the semiconductor memory. The software may also transformthe physical state of such components to store data thereupon.

As another example, the computer-readable storage media disclosed hereinmay be implemented using magnetic or optical technology. In suchimplementations, the software presented herein may transform thephysical state of magnetic or optical media when the software is encodedtherein. These transformations may include altering the magneticcharacteristics of particular locations within given magnetic media.These transformations also may include altering the physical features orcharacteristics of particular locations within given optical media tochange the optical characteristics of those locations. Othertransformations of physical media are possible without departing fromthe scope and spirit of the present description, with the foregoingexamples provided only to facilitate this discussion.

In light of the above, it may be appreciated that many types of physicaltransformations take place in architecture 1000 in order to store andexecute the software components presented herein. It also may beappreciated that the architecture 1000 may include other types ofcomputing devices, including wearable devices, handheld computers,embedded computer systems, smartphones, PDAs, and other types ofcomputing devices known to those skilled in the art. It is alsocontemplated that architecture 1000 may not include all of thecomponents shown in FIG. 10, may include other components that are notexplicitly shown in FIG. 10, or may utilize an architecture completelydifferent from that shown in FIG. 10.

Various embodiments of the rage relieving device are disclosed herein.In one exemplary embodiment is a rage relieving device, comprising: atop surface; a bottom surface; and a central area which branches off toendpoints, wherein each endpoint is divided by divisions so that eachendpoint can provide an independent functionality, wherein each endpointincludes a sensor that detects an impact, and wherein detection of animpact causes the rage relieving device to provide an output.

In another example, the output is an auditory sound that is output froma speaker, each endpoint being connected to the speaker. A furtherexample comprises: one or more processors; and a hardware-based memorydevice having executable instructions which, when executed by the one ormore processors, causes the rage relieving device to: receive one ormore signals from a sensor, in which the one or more signals reflectsome detected impact; determine that the one or more signals satisfy athreshold degree of pressure; and output the auditory sound using thespeaker responsive to the determination that the received one or moresignals satisfy the threshold degree of pressure. In another example, awire extends from each sensor to the speaker to transmit the one or moresignals from the sensor, the speaker being positioned in the center ofthe rage relieving device. As a further example, the rage relievingdevice is comprised of a layered structure. In another example, thelayered structure includes an outer layer, a foam layer, and an internallayer underneath the foam layer. As another example, the foam layer ispositioned on an upper area of the rage relieving device and ceases ator adjacent to the bottom area.

As another embodiment, implemented is a rage relieving device,comprising: an outer layer that completely encapsulates the ragerelieving device; hardware components that are completely encapsulatedinside the outer layer, the hardware components including: sensors thatindividually receive external input; a speaker; one or more processors;and one or more hardware-based memory devices which storecomputer-readable instructions that are executable by the one or moreprocessors; and a central area which branches off to endpoints, whereineach endpoint is divided by divisions so that each endpoint can providean independent functionality, wherein each endpoint includes a sensorwhich detects an exterior input against the outer layer, and whereindetection of an impact causes the sensor to output a signal to the oneor more processors.

As another example, a hardware component housing is positioned insidethe outer layer, the hardware component housing hosts the speaker, oneor more processors, and the one or more hardware-based memory devices,and the sensors are separated by a distance from the hardware componenthousing. In another example, further comprising wires that respectivelyconnect the sensors to the hardware component housing, in which thewires transfer signals output by the sensors. As another example, theexterior input is an impact against the outer layer, and the sensorstranslate the impact to a signal, in which the signal varies based on alevel of impact detected by the sensors. As another example, thehardware components are surrounded by a central interior layer forprotection. In a further example, the sensors are positioned against anupper interior layer that is adjacent to the outer layer to accuratelydetect a level of the exterior impact. As another example, the centralinterior layer is comprised of microbeads, and the upper interior layeris foam.

1. A rage relieving device, comprising: a top surface; a bottom surface;and a central area which branches off to endpoints, wherein eachendpoint is divided by divisions so that each endpoint can provide anindependent functionality, wherein each endpoint includes a sensor thatdetects an impact, and wherein detection of an impact causes the ragerelieving device to provide an output.
 2. The rage relieving device ofclaim 1, wherein the output is an auditory sound that is output from aspeaker, each endpoint being connected to the speaker.
 3. The ragerelieving device of claim 2, further comprising: one or more processors;and a hardware-based memory device having executable instructions which,when executed by the one or more processors, causes the rage relievingdevice to: receive one or more signals from a sensor, in which the oneor more signals reflect some detected impact; determine that the one ormore signals satisfy a threshold degree of pressure; and output theauditory sound using the speaker responsive to the determination thatthe received one or more signals satisfy the threshold degree ofpressure.
 4. The rage relieving device of claim 3, wherein a wireextends from each sensor to the speaker to transmit the one or moresignals from the sensor, the speaker being positioned in the center ofthe rage relieving device.
 5. The rage relieving device of claim 4,wherein the rage relieving device is comprised of a layered structure.6. The rage relieving device of claim 5, wherein the layered structureincludes an outer layer, a foam layer, and an internal layer underneaththe foam layer.
 7. The rage relieving device of claim 6, wherein thefoam layer is positioned on an upper area of the rage relieving deviceand ceases at or adjacent to the bottom area.
 8. A rage relievingdevice, comprising: an outer layer that completely encapsulates the ragerelieving device; hardware components that are completely encapsulatedinside the outer layer, the hardware components including: sensors thatindividually receive external input; a speaker; one or more processors;and one or more hardware-based memory devices which storecomputer-readable instructions that are executable by the one or moreprocessors; and a central area which branches off to endpoints, whereineach endpoint is divided by divisions so that each endpoint can providean independent functionality, wherein each endpoint includes a sensorwhich detects an exterior input against the outer layer, and whereindetection of an impact causes the sensor to output a signal to the oneor more processors.
 9. The rage relieving device of claim 8, wherein ahardware component housing is positioned inside the outer layer, thehardware component housing hosts the speaker, one or more processors,and the one or more hardware-based memory devices, and the sensors areseparated by a distance from the hardware component housing.
 10. Therage relieving device of claim 9, further comprising wires thatrespectively connect the sensors to the hardware component housing, inwhich the wires transfer signals output by the sensors.
 11. The ragerelieving device of claim 10, wherein the exterior input is an impactagainst the outer layer, and the sensors translate the impact to asignal, in which the signal varies based on a level of impact detectedby the sensors.
 12. The rage relieving device of claim 11, wherein thehardware components are surrounded by a central interior layer forprotection.
 13. The rage relieving device of claim 12, wherein thesensors are positioned against an upper interior layer that is adjacentto the outer layer to accurately detect a level of the exterior impact.14. The rage relieving device of claim 13, wherein the central interiorlayer is comprised of microbeads, and the upper interior layer is foam.